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There are two main reasons why women get breast implants. The first one is for reconstructive purposes. This is to bring the breast back to its original form after it has been damaged by an injury or by a disease such as cancer.

The second reason has to do with cosmetic or aesthetic reasons. They may want to have fuller breast or breasts that are more symmetrical with one another. It is also a way to boost confidence in their bodies.

The cost of doing such a procedure will vary. Depending on the location, the doctor who will be doing the operation and the type of implant used the cost can run to a couple of thousand dollars.

Most plastic surgeons favour the infra-mammary incision location for most breast implants. The peri-areolar incision is made as a semicircle at the lower border of the pigmented areola. It does heal beautifully in most cases and uses the interface of the darker and lighter pigmented skin to camouflage the incision. For patients with small areolae, it may be preferable to use the infra-mammary incision, located underneath the breast. This incision also heals very well, and is especially useful for women with well defined creases under their breasts.

The axillary incision (in the armpit) is another option, but it’s better suited for saline implants than silicone gel. Because this access incision is a greater distance from the implant pocket, it’s less precise than the peri-areolar and infra-mammary approaches. Studies have confirmed that there is a higher implant revision rate using the axillary approach. Usually the axillary scars heal well, but they may still be visible when the patient wears sleeveless outfits. There is also a higher rate of breast implant infections with the peri-areolar and axillary approaches.

Patients frequently ask what effect the incision location has on maintaining nipple sensation after surgery. The answer is that the access incision usually has little effect on nipple sensation. Rather, it’s the size of the implant pocket that has the largest impact on nipple sensation. Large implants may require a pocket that stretches the nerves to the point that they do not function well, increasing the odds of impaired nipple sensation. Even so, the vast majority of my patients maintain normal nipple sensation.

Breast implants may be placed over or under the pectoralis major muscle. In the early days of breast augmentation, all implants were placed on top of the muscle. However, in recent decades, it has become more common to place implants underneath the pectoralis major muscle. The muscle covers the top half of the implant, providing additional thickness of coverage over the implant in the critical cleavage area. This makes it less likely that the implant edges or ripples will be visible when wearing a bra or swimsuit. Studies have also shown that the rate of capsular contracture is lower when the implants are placed under the muscle. Breast imaging to screen for breast cancer is more accurate when the implants are placed behind the muscle. For these reasons, I prefer to place implants underneath the muscle for most of my breast implant patients.

To learn more about breast augmentations, request a consultation by contacting us at 13000DRTIM or emailing us at info@drtim.com.au

The two main categories of breast implants are silicone gel or saline-filled implants. Silicone gel implants have been popular since the early 1960s, and they have gone through multiple generations of improvements since that time. Silicone gel implants have undergone rigorous studies which have shown they are safe and do not cause breast cancer nor connective tissue disorders.

The main advantage of silicone implants is that they feel more natural than saline implants. Gel implants are less prone to rippling than saline, which makes them particularly advantageous for thin patients. The current 5th generation of silicone implants are cohesive, meaning that the gel is viscous enough that even if the implant ruptures the gel tends to remain in the same place, a little like jelly. Previous generations, the silicone was more like thick maple syrup.

Saline (ie. saltwater) implants have a long record of safety too and are less expensive than silicone gel implants. They are generally placed when they are empty and filled once they are inside the breast pocket, so that the access incisions may be even smaller. When a saline implant leaks, most of the saline from the implant is rapidly and harmlessly absorbed by the body. The deflation is usually obvious, and the patient returns for removal and replacement of the saline implant. This may be done under local anaesthesia if the patient is an appropriate candidate. The primary disadvantage of saline implants is that they don’t look or feel as natural as the silicone gel implants. This is a particularly important issue for women who are thin or have decreased elasticity of their skin.

To learn more about breast augmentation, request a consultation by contacting us at 13000DRTIM or emailing us at info@drtim.com.au

Breast reduction surgery is designed to make the breasts smaller and lighter to alleviate the problems of symptomatic macromastia. However, the surgeon performing the breast reduction is the most important determinant of the quality of the result. There are many different techniques for breast reduction, and each surgeon has his or her own preferences based on experience and patient needs. Often, breast reduction is combined with a breast lift.

To learn more about breast reduction, request a consultation by contacting us at 13000DRTIM or emailing us at info@drtim.com.au

The position and size of the areola are important considerations when evaluating a patient for a breast reduction. Typically it’s necessary to raise the nipple to a more youthful position. Often the areola is made smaller to achieve optimal proportions with the newly tight and perky breast.

To learn more about breast reduction, request a consultation by contacting us at 13000DRTIM or emailing us at info@drtim.com.au

Enlarged male breasts (also called gynaecomastia) are the butt of many jokes, which explains why people suffering from this condition often feel embarrassed, humiliated, and insecure about their bodies. Understandably, many men suffering from this condition often have a lower self-esteem and some will not be caught dead without their shirts on. Male breast reduction surgerywill help you get a flatter chest that most men can only dream of having.

What Causes Enlarged Male Breasts?

Gynaecomastia is usually the result of excessive fat tissue in the chest area, which results in the appearance of a man having breasts. Loose skin can also result in this condition. Consequently, surgery is performed depending on whether excess fat tissue is the problem or the loose skin is the cause breast-like appearances. Fat tissue in the chest area can be due to excess body fat, hormonal imbalances, diet problems, or the use of certain kinds of drugs (marijuana and steroids being the most common). When the enlarged breasts are the result of loose hanging skin, it is usually because the individual has lost a considerable amounts of weight.

What Techniques are used for Male Breast Reduction?

The good thing about male breast reduction surgery is that it is a minimally invasive form of surgery. Below are a couple of surgical techniques used to ensure that you get a flatter chest:

Liposuction: This is an effective technique for men who have relatively good skin elasticity. In this case, a small incision is made and the excess fat is removed using a cannula (a small hollow surgical tube). After this procedure, the chest assumes a normal masculine appearance without the need for further surgical intervention.

Breast Tissue Removal: This procedure may be necessary in more severe cases of gynaecoamastia. Breast tissue removal can also be used in addition to liposuction, when removal of excess fat using a cannula does not suffice. However, this technique may also be used on its own.

Skin Removal: Skin removal may be necessary in cases where there has been a massive weight loss prior to surgery. Skin removal can also be accompanied by breast tissue removal or liposuction.

Who Can Undergo Breast Reduction Surgery?

Generally, if you are a healthy man of any age, you can benefit from a male breast reduction surgery if you suffer from enlarged male breasts. Ideal candidates are those with elastic skin that will naturally reshape itself after the excessive fat or breast tissue is removed.

How Long Does Recovery Take?

Recovery from male breast reduction surgery takes about a week, although you will be discharged from the hospital on the day of surgery. The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia. Slight discomfort and pain is normal after the surgery. However, this can be managed using some pain medications. A chest garment is usually worn afterwards for up to six weeks to aid in reducing swelling and developing a collection (seroma or haematoma).

What are the Possible Risks of Male Breast Reduction Surgery?

Most risks associated with this surgery are usually very rare. Nevertheless, they are easily manageable and include bleeding, seroma, haematoma and infection. Proper post-operative care can effectively handle these problems if they do occur.

There is no reason to go through life suffering the embarrassment of enlarged male breasts. A simple male breast reduction surgery can help you achieve a flatter but muscular look that makes you look forward to removing your shirt the next time you are on the beach having some fun. This procedure poses few risks and you are usually back to your normal routine in just a couple of days.

Question: What is the most difficult thing you experience with having enlarged male breasts? You can leave a comment below.

Breast reduction surgery is considered to be medically necessary if a patient suffers from symptomatic macromastia. The typical criteria for health fund coverage of a breast reduction include: bothersome symptoms detrimental to quality of life, failure of medical therapy prescribed by another doctor, and removal of a minimum estimated weight of breast tissue.

Most health funds will cover this procedure for patients with these symptoms if they have attempted conservative medical treatment without success. The best way to determine if your procedure is medically indicated is in a consultation with me at the clinic.

To learn more about breast reduction, request a consultation by contacting us at 13000DRTIM or emailing us at info@drtim.com.au

Only recently described, breast implant–associatedanaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) usually presents as an effusion-associated fibrous capsule surrounding the implant and less frequently as a mass. Little is known about the natural history and long-term outcomes of such disease. It is estimated that between 5 and 10 million women have breast implants. Due to the rarity of a diagnosis of ALCL (3 in 100 million per year in the USA diagnosed with ALCL in the breast) a worldwide collaboration is required to provide robust data to investigate this possible link.

ALCL is a lymphoma and not cancer of the breast tissue. When breast implants are placed in the body, they are inserted behind the breast tissue or under the chest muscle. Over time, a fibrous scar called a capsule develops around the implant, separating it from the rest of the breast. In women with breast implants, the ALCL was generally found adjacent to the implant itself and contained within the fibrous capsule. ALCL is a lymphoma which is a type of cancer involving cells of the immune system. It is not cancer of the breast tissue.

The most recent clinical studies state that it is not possible to confirm with any certainty whether breast implants have any relation to an increased likelihood of developing ALCL, and particularly whether any one type of implant can create a higher or lower risk than another of developing the disease. It should be noted that ALCL is extremely rare and treatable. This is evidenced in particular by three recent papers:

A Danish nationwide study – ‘Breast implants and anaplastic large-cell lymphoma: a Danish population-based cohort study’– concluded that in a nationwide cohort of 19,885 women who underwent breast implant surgery between 1973 and 2010, no cases of ALCL were identified

A review of cases within another recent comprehensive article, ‘Breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma: long-term follow-up of 60 patients’ concluded that: “most patients with breast implant-associated ALCL who had disease confined within the fibrous capsule achieved complete remission. Proper management for these patients may be limited to capsulectomy and implant removal. Patients who present with a mass have a more aggressive clinical course that may be fatal, justifying cytotoxic chemotherapy in addition to removal of implants.”

In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Roberto N. Miranda, MD, Associate Professor in the Department of Hematopathology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and colleagues assessed disease characteristics, treatment, and outcomes in 60 cases. They found that outcomes are better in women with effusion confined by the fibrous capsule, whereas disease presenting as a mass has a more aggressive clinical course.Patients should be advised that ALCL is a very rare condition and until any further evidence is presented there is no need to remove breast implants as a matter of course.

These data suggest that there are two patient subsets. Most patients who present with an effusion around the implant, without a tumour mass, achieve complete remission and excellent disease-free survival. A smaller subset of patients presents with a tumour mass associated with the fibrous capsule and are more likely to have clinically aggressive disease. We suggest that patients without a mass may benefit from a conservative therapeutic approach, perhaps removal of the implant with capsulectomy alone, whereas patients with a tumour mass may need removal of the implants and systemic therapy that still needs to be defined.

We continue to advise that any women with breast implantswho experience any sudden unexplained changes, lumps or swelling should speak to their GP or their surgeon.

One of the amazing things about recovering from breast reduction surgery is how quickly patients experience relief from their symptoms. The morning after surgery many patients already feel symptomatic relief, even though their recovery has just begun. Many comment that they even breathe easier when they no longer have so much weight on their chests.

Recovery from a breast reduction tends to be quick because it does not involve the underlying muscles, bones or internal organs. Most women will need:

A few days to recover before returning to work

A month for the incisions to heal before resuming exercise

A year to 18 months for the scars to fade to a subtle colour

To learn more about breast reduction, request a consultation by contacting us at 13000DRTIM or emailing us at info@drtim.com.au

Breast reduction surgery patients are among the happiest of all plastic surgery patients because they both look better and feel better following surgery. When women have large, burdensome breasts, they frequently suffer from a condition called symptomatic macromastia. Symptomatic macromastia is considered to be a medical problem that may include the following symptoms:

Pain in the neck, shoulders, breasts, and upper or lower back

Bra strap indentations

Rashes underneath the breasts

Finger or hand numbness

Difficultly exercising, fitting into clothing or examining the breasts

To learn more about breast reduction, request a consultation by contacting us at 13000DRTIM or emailing us at info@drtim.com.au

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About Me

I am a Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon practicing in Sydney and past President of the Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). I am also involved on the Education Subcommittee for the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS). My passion is helping people look good so that they can feel great about themselves. I specialise in Breast Augmentation, Breast Lift, Breast Reduction, Tummy Tuck, Body Lift, Mummy Makeover, Rhinoplasty, Face Lift & Neck Lift, Brow Lift & Eyelid Surgery.